The Brunswick County Grand Jury under the direction of Judge Gary L. Locklear with prosecutor Rex Gore and courtroom clerk Kay Fowler returned the following indictments during a Superior Court session on Dec. 8:

A recent article in the Beacon highlighted an awards ceremony for volunteers for their service to Brunswick County.

Recipients were individuals and groups cited for their contributions as part of the Governor’s Award for outstanding service to the county.

Among those worthy recipients for honors bestowed was special recognition for the St. James Fire Department and its large volunteer organization, including a fire auxiliary that raises money and provides support and maintenance.

It’s always great to hear of billionaires donating money and resources to organizations, especially children’s charities, but to me, it means more when you hear of hard-working, everyday people going the extra mile to make a contribution or donation simply because they want to, not because they have an extra million or two laying around and send out press releases announcing their good deeds to the world.

With the help of an $81,900 grant from the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (DJJDP), students at Waccamaw, Shallotte and Leland middle schools are able to participate in a Communities in Schools (CIS) after-school delinquency prevention and intervention program free of charge.

The grant allows students who score below proficiency in math and reading End of Grade (EOG) tests to participate in the after-school program free of charge.

More yuletide events will light up the season in coming days in Brunswick County and the surrounding area. Activities slated in coming days include:

•“A Holiday Tribute to the Nightmare Before Christmas,” 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11, and Friday, Dec. 12, at West Brunswick High School theater and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at New Beginnings Community Church, 730 Whiteville Road. Admission is $5 and $3 with two non-perishable food items.